Orthopedic pad



A. B. PLUMMER.

ORTHOPEDIC PAD.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 23,1918.

Patented Apr. 13, 1920.

Jame/Lu d laruiflzarl,

"becoming a citizen of the orthiopedic pads,

ARTHUR IBUCKLAND PLUMMER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

ORTHOPEDIC PAD.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 13, 1920.

Application filed July 23, 1918. Serial No. 246,307.

To all-whom it may concern Be it. known that I, ARTHUR BUCKLAND P UMMER, a subject of the King of Eng land, (who have declared no intention of U iiited States,) and a resident of the city of Chicago, county of Cook, and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Orthopedic Pads, of which the following is a specification.

Myinvention relates to improvements in and has for its object the provlsion of an improved device of this character arranged and adapted to correct '15 and reform the usual slight eformities and incorrect positions. of the human foot, thus greatly strengthening the same and tending to prevent the formation or effecting a cure 2f corns, bunions and the like on the human oot.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

The invention consists in the combinations and arrangements of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

The invention will be best understood byreference to the accompanying drawin s forming a part of this specification, and in which:

Figure 1, is a top plan-view of an orthopedic pad embodying the invention and desi ned for use on the left foot,

ig. 2, a side view of the same, Fig. 3, a section taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 1,

ig. 4, a section taken on line 4-4 of Fig 1,

F Fig. 5, a section taken on line 5-5 of F ig. 6, a section taken on line 66 of hepreferred *forin of construction, as illustrated in the'drawings, comprises aflat body 7 in the form of a heavy leather insole, adapted to fit within the bottom of an ordinary boot or shoe and'given a general shape or configuration for this purpose, as shown and corresponding in outline to an ordinary insole as indicated. A correcting pad 8 is arranged on the body 7 along the rear inner -edge thereof, sloping or diminishing in height or thickness toward the opposite or outer edge 9, and entirely disap, caring at said outer edge, as indicated in Figs. 1 and 6. The pad 8 extends from the extreme the body 7 and or boot, this action cannot take place.

rear portion of the body 7 where it is gradually sloped off as at 10.to substantially the central portion of body 7, the forward portion of said pad at the central portion of under the instep of the wearer narrowing as shown in Figs. 1 and 5 to substantially one-half of the width of the body 7. The forward portion of the pad 8 slopes off to nothing, as indicated at 12, and terminates at line 13 tially opposite the center of a central pad 14. The pad 14.- is positioned centrally in the body 7 just to the rear of the tread portion thereof so as to be positioned just to the rear of the ball of the foot and forward of the instep thereof, which is substantially along or immediate? to the rear of the section line 33 on ig. 1. The pad 14 is highest at its centra portion and slopes therefrom in all directions, terminating well within the sides of the body 7 height substantiall equal to the highest or thickest portion of the pad 8.

. he construction illustrated is' designed for the left foot, the one for the right foot being precisel the same except turned over or reversed. The orthopedic pad thus provided has a tendency to straighten the position of the foot in walking, tending to prevent outward running over of the heel portion of a boot or shoe and conse uent weakening of the foot and ankle. t also has a tendency to cause the toes to lie fiat in the shoe, thus preventing the formation of corns or bum'ons thereon. These beneficial effects are. due to the joint action of the various features of the construction disclosed.

The conjoint action of the different featuresof the pad is due to a peculiarity in the method of walkin of the ma'orit of the Caucasian race. 11 walking barefboted, the foot is carried with the toe pointed slightly outwardly and with the heel twisted slightly outwardly with reference to the forward or ball portion of the. foot. This results in the rear outer edge of the heel striking the earth first and the ball of the foot and toes strikin -the earth an instant later'and. in fiat con ition, which tends to spread the toes and give each toe individual and proper contact with the earth. Butwhen the foot is confined by a rigid :SIOB

,' and is of a at a point substanto this rigidity, the twisting of the heel also twists the forward portion of the foot so that the ball or tread portion thereof strikes the earth in an outwardly inclined position, tending to throw the forward portion of the foot, and the toes outwardly in the shoe. This action has a tendency to cause the outer and smaller toes to curve inwardly under the inner and larger ones, thus tending to distort the foot and causejoorns and bunions. This tendency in walking'is" apparent from the .factthat most people tend to-wear over the outer rear edge of the heel of their shoes. The presence of'the correcting pad 8' along the inner rear edge of the body 7 causes the heel to rest naturally in slightly twisted relation with respect to the ball or tread portion of the foot and thus prevents the wearer from twistin the shoe in walking, causing the-shoe hee tostrike the ground straight and untwisted. The ball or tread portion of the foot will naturally tend to strikethe ound flat and untwisted if permitted, so that the pad 8 thus causes the ball or tread portion of the foot to strike the ound in flat position, and if the ball portion of the foot were unconfined, this would naturally have a tendency to spread and straighten the toes and give each toe individual and proper contact. However, the ball of the foot is confined by'the shoe or boot and this nat ural action is thus revented in the absence of means for induclng the same. The presence of the pad 14, however, in the central portion of the shoe, just tothe rear of the ball of the foot and forward of theinstep thereof 8 has a tendency to cause proper spreading and straightening of j the toes when the ball of the foot is brought down in fiat relation on the top of said pad 14. As previously indicated, the pad 8 causes the ball of the foot to come down on the pad 14; in flat condition, so that the conjoint action of tliie pads 8 and 14 produce the results dos1re I While I have illustrated anddescribed the preferred form of construction for carrying my invention into effect, this is capable of variation and modification without departing from the spirit of the invention. therefore, do not wish to be limited to the precise details of construction set forth, but desire to avail myself of such variations and modifications as come within the scope of the appended claims.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. An orthopedic pad comprising a body adapted to fit within the bottom-of a boot or shoe; a correcting pad arranged at the inner edge along the rear portion of said body and sloping off toward the outer side thereof;

and a correcting pad located centrally of said body just to the rear of the tread porsaid body being 2. An orthopedic pad comprising a body adapted to fit within the bottom of a boot or shoe; a correcting pad arranged at the inner edge and along the rear portion of sa1d body and sloping oif toward the outer side thereof; and a correcting pad located centrally of said body just to the rear of the tread portion. thereof 'andforward of the instep portion and of substantially the same height as said edge pad, the remaining portlons of substantially flat and of uniform thickness, substantially as described.

3. An orthopedic pad comprising a body adapted to fit within the bottom of a boot or-shoe; a correcting pad arranged at the inner edge and along body and sloping off toward the outer side thereof, said correcting pad extending from the rear to substantially the center of said body and sloping off at both front and rear; and a correcting pad located centrally of said body just to the rear of the tread portion thereof and forward of the instep portion, said central pad being highest at its central portion and sloping therefrom in all directions, the remaining portions of said body being substantially flat and of uniform thickness, substantially as described.

4. An orthopedic pad comprising a body adapted to fit. within the bottom of a boot or shoe; a correcting pad arranged at the inner edge along the rear portion of said 'body and sloping off toward the outer side thereof, said correcting pad extending from the rear to substantially the center of said body and sloping at both front and rear; and a correcting pad located centrally of said body just to the rear of the tread portion thereof and forward of the instepportion and ofsubstantially the same height as said edge pad, said central'pad being highest at its central portion andsloping theresaid body and sloping ofi' toward and en-.

tirely disappearing atv the outer side thereof, said correcting'pad extendin from the rear-to substantially thecenter 0 said body, and narrowing at the center of said body to substantially one-half the width thereof,

and sloping at both front and rear; and a correcting pad located centrally of said body ust to the rear of the tread portion thereof and forward of the instep portion, and of substantla'lly the same height as the highest the rear portion of said portion of said edge pad, said central pad In testimony whereof I have signed my being highest at its central portion and slopname to this specification in the presence of ing therefrom in all directions and entirely two subscribing Witnesses.

terminating Well Within the edges of said A.'BUCKLAND PLUMMER. 5 body, the remaining portions of said body Witnesses:

being substantially fiat and of uniform JOSHUA R. H. PoTTs,

thickness substantially as described. HELEN F. LILLIs. 

